Chapter 33: Apprentice (3)
‘…I was careless.’
Elise let out a sigh.
It was exactly as that human, Kim Minwoo, had said.
Everyone values their life heavily.
She had offered a paltry price for those lives, so it was no wonder she got an earful.
On top of that, what he had proposed as compensation for his help was perfectly reasonable.
The fruit of the Mother Tree?
It was indeed a treasure to the elves.
But everything was relative.
Between letting the Mother Tree fall and giving up its fruit to save it, there was no question which was more important.
The potions were the same.
Once protected, their consumption would drop sharply from now on.
She was just handing them over to the resistance.
Elise looked at Kim Minwoo.
She could see him busily tinkering with something in front of the skeletons.
“…What are you doing?”
“Strengthening my summons.”
“Strengthening?”
“Yeah. See these bones here?”
“That’s… a cockatrice leg bone, isn’t it?”
“Correct. If I replace this guy’s leg with it like this…”
[Using Bone Exchange (B)!]
[Replacing ‘Cedric’s’ leg bone with cockatrice leg bone!]
[The material’s level is vastly higher than yours.]
[Success rate: 12%]
[Proceed?]
Nod.
[Critical success!]
[The bone morphs to fit Cedric’s build and race!]
[Cedric’s strength, agility, and stamina each increase by 10!]
[*Critical success bonus effect: Movement speed +10%]
[Remaining capacity (20/75)]
Cedric’s leg bones grew thicker and sturdier.
“Something like that.”
“Amazing. Does it always succeed when you try?”
“No way. I must’ve gone through nearly two hundred leg bones for this one.”
“…That low a chance?”
“Nah, not that bad, but regular successes are kinda meh. Critical successes have extra effects.”
He had figured it out testing on basic skeletons at first.
Success and critical success.
There was a clear difference.
Regular success ate up a lot of capacity.
And no special effects.
Critical success, though?
It used less capacity.
‘Success was 25.’
Critical was 20.
Five less capacity.
But the effects were way better.
“How’s it feel, Cedric?”
―Master, I seem to have gained a very good skill.
Cedric flexed his legs, gave a thumbs-up, and said.
He could definitely feel the difference.
All his stats except mana had gone up by 10.
Plus the critical success bonus of 10% movement speed.
‘This skill is insane.’
The effects were broken.
Especially with high-level monster bones.
Cockatrices were over level 200.
Obviously, their bones were overwhelmingly tougher than a skeleton’s base body.
And using the monster’s signature part, the legs.
A critical success was a total jackpot.
‘Of course, there are downsides…’
Success rates tanked hard with high-level monster bones.
Critical success felt like around 1%.
He had burned through every bone from the last cockatrice pack just for Cedric’s legs.
To use it properly…
‘Gonna cost a fortune.’
Monsters left corpses and byproducts when killed.
Byproducts varied: key parts, items, magic stones, skillbooks, etc.
Usually, people just grabbed the byproducts and left.
They were heavy, and inventory space was limited.
At most, they dismantled and took valuable parts.
Except for some high-value monsters, that was standard.
The issue? Bones weren’t usually high-value.
Except for certain monsters, no one bothered hauling them.
Even scraping auction houses wouldn’t get much.
Conclusion.
He needed to give awakeners a reason to bring bones.
‘Bone bounties, I guess?’
Probably trillions down the drain…
‘Still gotta do it.’
Whatever else, one thing was clear.
Cedric at least needed critical success bones from head to toe.
‘The rest…’
Doing it for all thousand-plus skeletons? Even tens of trillions might not cut it.
He’d worry later.
Kim Minwoo’s gaze shifted sideways.
Elise was staring right at him.
“Something you need?”
“…About that. Sorry for being rude last time. I was too hasty.”
“Already forgotten.”
He shook his head.
No need to be harsh to someone—elf—who apologized.
Elise sighed at his words.
“…See the elves over there?”
“Yeah.”
“It’s quelled the discontent for now, but honestly, it’s just a stopgap. Once we reach the village, the elders will kick up a fuss.”
“So you can’t keep your promise?”
“No!”
She shook her head hurriedly.
“I’m the guardian of the Mother Tree’s forest. I have the power to keep my word. I just hope you don’t mind the other elves’ reactions too much.”
“You seem different from the other elves, Elise. More realistic.”
“…I’m not that different. I was careless too…”
“Reflection’s enough. Knowing to do that makes you a great elf.”
No wonder they were called stuck-up pricks. Elves had tempers to match.
Her ears flushed pink at the backhanded compliments. That was carrot enough.
“Elise.”
“Yes.”
“I can tolerate most things, but three I won’t.”
“What are they?”
“First, belittling the orcs’ sacrifices. Second, slacking on teaching the seedlings. Third, breaking promises. If I see any of those…”
“…See what?”
“I swing my sword a bit. Sometimes, that’s the shortest path.”
“…”
Elf elders, whatever.
Just hearing it conjured rot.
With clear as the goal, no time for their crap.
He smiled at her.
“I trust you get it.”
“…I’ll be careful.”
“We head to the elf village tomorrow. Rest up.”
* * *
“Today, we go save the elves!”
―Snort! Save pointy-ears!
―Snort! Potions make strong! Crush witch skulls!
He had already preached to the orcs about uniting with the elves.
Potions make you strong.
Crush witch heads.
Stuff like that.
No opposition.
“Let’s go!”
Over two thousand orcs marched.
He had heard about the forces hitting the elf village. This many could smash them.
‘Hard to stop word spreading, though.’
The enemy was sizable.
Unlike Elroom, blocking all runners would be tough.
‘No choice.’
Couldn’t stealth forever.
If they wiped the elf conquest army, even apostles would notice something.
The orc army marched boldly. Six hours in, they reached the destination.
A vast forested area.
The Mother Tree’s domain.
Elise and her elves had gone ahead.
To relay the plan and coordinate.
Plus, probably to preach his warning from yesterday.
‘Doubt they’ll listen.’
If elves changed that easily, they wouldn’t be stuck-up pricks.
Not all elves were hopeless.
But hopeless ones? Lots of elves.
Far off, an army chopped trees wildly.
‘Peeling from the outside.’
The Mother Tree’s domain was a nightmare to assault.
Trees moved alive, blocking paths; plants swallowed foes.
Plus elves sniping from cover.
Any smart commander wouldn’t charge in.
Usually, burn or smash from the edges.
This commander chose the latter.
‘Fire’s not easy here.’
Mother Tree side sprayed moisture to block.
Fire only after evaporating it all.
‘Plus, need corpse supply…’
Burned bodies? Useless trash. So peeling instead.
Plan was set: Orcs hit rear, elves front.
―Orcs! Orcs!
The enemy turned at the stomping.
Chaos erupted.
Orcs appearing out of nowhere? Panic-worthy.
No need for talk.
“Kill ‘em all! Charge!”
The orc horde charged.
* * *
The battle ended anticlimactically.
Enemy commander fled without countering the pincer. Troops scattered.
Killed four hundred of nearly five hundred. Lost about four hundred orcs, but given level averages, a miraculous exchange.
‘Leveled up big time.’
75 to 85.
Snagged plenty of last hits for exp.
Exp needs exploded with levels, so near-lightspeed up.
‘Well, catching high-level guys, expected…’
Apostle forces baseline 250+. No surprise.
Soon, elves emerged from the trees.
About four hundred total.
Elise up front, old elves behind.
Elders, probably.
“Thanks for the help.”
Elise bowed.
Happily-ever-afters ended here. Life was give and take.
“Gotta help if I can. Time for payment, then…”
“Yes. Already arranged.”
With her answer, alchemist elves stepped forward.
Ears twitching, eyeing the skeletons.
“…We teach those skeletons alchemy, right?”
“Yeah. Five hundred, so twenty per teacher. Dwarves raved about their talent. Worth teaching.”
Other five hundred hammered at dwarf forges.
No crafting skill yet.
Alchemists nodded reluctantly, one by one.
‘This reaction’s mild, at least.’
Gal! How dare undead learn alchemy?
No outrage was progress. Elise must’ve worked hard prepping them.
Skeletons learning alchemy meant fast potion production. First promise kept.
“Now, the Mother Tree fruit…”
Then.
One sour-faced elder stepped up.
“Human. Hold on.”
“Something to say?”
“I’ve held back a lot! Teaching alchemy to foul undead was absurd, but I stomached it. But fruit? That’s our elves’ great treasure. Only chosen kin eat it!”
“Yeah. That’s why it’s payment. Wouldn’t ask if worthless.”
“You’re demanding too much, no?”
Not IQ.
Just belief.
Explains boldness with orcs behind.
Looked at Elise.
She sighed.
Couldn’t sway all the stubborn elders, huh.
“Opposition? Got a way to stop it?”
“Fruit needs full elder consensus to take.”
“I see. Respect your conviction.”
Stubbornness like that deserved applause.
He nodded.
Slash!
Elder’s head fell.
At least he spoke his piece. Good death.
Shook blood off blade, eyed the elders.
“More opposed?”
“…”
“None? Then I’ll take it.”
Opposition gone. Unanimous yes.
Time for fruit.